Sanctuary and Deliverance Mural

The Sanctuary and Deliverance mural is a powerful four-panel outdoor mural situated in downtown Cassopolis, Michigan, vividly illustrating the harrowing events of the 1847 Kentucky Slave Raid.

Panel 1: Depicts freedom seekers crossing the Ohio River.

Panel 2: Illustrates Kentucky slave catchers entering a cabin to reclaim individuals they considered their property.

Panel 3: Shows Quakers and abolitionists confronting the slave catchers at O'Dell Mill in Vandalia.

Panel 4: Portrays African Americans testifying against the slave catchers in court.

This impactful mural, designed by Ruth Andrews and painted by a dedicated team of community volunteers in 2010, was made possible through the sponsorship of the Minority Coalition of Cass County and a grant from the Michigan Humanities Council. The project was aimed at promoting conversation and contemplation about the historical event and its enduring relevance.

The mural is rooted in the historical events of August 1847, when armed slave catchers from Kentucky raided Quaker farms in Cass County, capturing nine runaway slaves. The final panel of the mural depicts the court case where the slave catchers were eventually indicted and found guilty on a technicality. Following the verdict, the nine captured fugitives and an additional 30 individuals sought refuge in Canada via the Underground Railroad.